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Saw II: Special Edition (US - DVD R1)

Dustin McNeill takes a belated look at the second round of Jigsaw's handiwork

Here's one of those dandy releases you can see coming a mile away. Popular horror film has sequel and it's rushed onto home video in a near bare-bones release. A year later, to capitalize on the hype for the third film, the second is given an uncut special edition. It's a formula we've come to associate with the Saw franchise. I'm a little surprised we weren't given an on-set preview of the third as we were for the second on the first film's special edition. I wasn't begging for one, but from a marketing standpoint its a good move. But I digress….

Feature Ill-tempered and evidence-falsifying detective Eric Matthews finds himself the latest target of the now-infamous "Jigsaw" killer. When the killer's whereabouts become known, Matthews and a SWAT team burst in uninvited, springing several of Jigsaw's traps in the process. Soon Eric is face to face with a dying Jigsaw, cancer confining him to a wheelchair. Our clever teacher isn't about to be caught, however, and Eric quickly finds out why. Video monitors reveal eight people trapped inside of a house, slowly filling with a deadly poison gas.

We soon recognize one of the housemates as Amanda from the original film, who we thought learned her "lesson" about appreciating life already. Eric spots his son among the mix and becomes incredibly hostile towards Jigsaw. Imagine his fury when he realizes that the other seven people in the house were previously falsely incriminated by the good detective, putting his son in even graver danger. With the eight housemates and the entire police force dancing to his song, the stage is set for Jigsaw to play several games, the greatest of which being with detective Matthews.

On the whole, I liked Saw II very much. Tobin Bell is wildly enjoyable as Jigsaw, who can now officially take his place with Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers and the rest of the bunch. The film's plot clearly ups the ante with so many people ensnared in the "game" and more at stake, clearly trying to out-do the original with more. More traps, more victims, more taunting by everyone's favourite life lesson teacher. Unlike most sequels that think "bigger is better", Saw II works well. I also enjoyed the heck out of Charlie Clouser's score, which builds well upon the previous film's music. You can see these filmmakers grow with each instalment; it'll be interesting to watch these back to back years from now to see their progression.

Visually, the flick is both rich and poor. Colour timing is vibrantly pulled off and this transfer highlights it well. The bad comes in with director of photography David Armstrong's handiwork, which is ordinarily first-rate. The cinematography of Saw II feels more like an amateur rock music video than a horror film, especially when you hold it against the superiorly shot Saw and Saw III. The camera shakes unnecessarily and speeds up/slows down to a rather immature effect, although this may be the product of sketchy editing. Undoubtedly rushed through every stage of production to make it's release date, these flaws could've been easily eliminated had the filmmakers taken their time.

I'm pleased that Lionsgate chose to market this as a Special Edition rather than uncut. Saw II is indeed uncut, but it's nothing so celebratory that it should be given titular recognition. The only additions I noticed were an updated Lionsgate logo, a few shots of Jigsaw eating breakfast and short extensions of death scenes. Don't let the “uncut” version of the film be the reason you buy this set—you'll be sorely disappointed. Uncut or not, this is a gory film to begin with, so gore hounds should be pleased.

Saw II may not be high art, but I felt it was simple horror fun. The twists are clever enough and the production values are high. As a follow-up to the marvellous original, Saw II holds its own, no small feat.

Video The film is presented in 1.78.1 anamorphic widescreen. This transfer is, in a word, gorgeous. As I mentioned above, the picture is rich with colour as well as darkness, a pale green tint appearing in nearly every other shot. I particularly liked the rich colours associated with Jigsaw (a loud red) and Eric (a modest green), their vibrancy allows them to virtually leap off the screen. The image is as crisp and clear as the filmmakers want it to be, at times becoming intentionally grainy. Gather from my praises that Saw II looks good.

Audio Saw II is given both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 treatment on this Special Edition, something that should please audiophiles and fans alike. I watched the film with the Dolby 5.1 option and found it to be every bit as impressive as the video presentation. The track is very full, with effects and music taking centre stage. Crank the volume up and prepare to find yourself in the middle of Jigsaw's handiwork as every creak, drip, cough and scream presents itself in surround sound glory. Stellar job here, Lionsgate.

Extras As if the technical presentation wasn't worth the asking price alone, we're given a feast of bonus materials. Disc one gives us two commentaries, the first being with director Darren Lynn Bousman, production designer David Hackl and editor Kevin Greutert. It goes without saying that this is a technical commentary. Each member spends a large part of the discussion patting each other on the back and reminiscing. A few mentions are even made to Saw III. The second commentary features Saw gurus James Wan and Leigh Whannell, who actually admit that the film is cut like a music video due to the rushed production schedule. Both commentaries are equally informative and enjoyable. The first disc also has a handful of trailers.

Lionsgate has gotten creative with this second disc. There are two ways to view it, as a listing of supplements or you can have them revealed to you in one of Jigsaw's games. It notes that certain items can only be found in the game, which is a mock-up of the house from the film. I had neither the time nor patience to play a game to see supplements, so I opted out of it and went to the menu listing. First up on disc one is the Scott Tibbs documentary, a sixteen minute “investigation” into Jigsaw by some idiot with a home video camera. There needs to be legislation passed about just who can own a video camera and who can't. This kind of boring and pointless crapola wouldn't even be at home on YouTube. Trust me; this one isn't worth your time. Finishing up this disc is a handful of theatrical trailers.

Starting off the second disc, there are seven mini-featurettes that take you behind the scenes of Saw II, collectively totalling fifty minutes. They are “The Saw Phenomenon”', “Conceiving A Sequel”, “The Players”, “The Sets”, “The Cinematography”, “Sound Design” and “Fun on the Set”, the most entertaining being that last one which is nothing more than the cast and crew goofing off. In it, Wahlberg compares Saw II to Punch Drunk Love jokingly and there's talk of puppet love. These are the real meat of the supplements, top-notch material.

“The Story Behind the Story” is a three minute plus look at, of course, the origins of the story. Following that is a loving tribute to producer, “Gregg Hoffman: In Memoriam”. Hoffman died in 2005 at the young age of forty-two and produced the first two films. It runs six odd minutes. Next up is “Zombie” is an odd two minute short film by Director Darren Lynn Bousman with optional commentary. After my initial viewing, I didn't feel moved to re-watch it with commentary.

Finally, there is a “Play Me” set top game (another game) which gives you the chance to navigate through Jigsaw's traps by answering riddles by locating items around a room. Answer wrong and you die. Surprisingly fun, the only bad thing about this feature is not being able to exit it if you aren't good at it. Well-designed and executed, there are worse ways to spend ten minutes of your life.

Overall If you're a casual fan of the Saw films, you might be satisfied with the one disc release from last year. Die-hard followers of the franchise will want to pick this up and treasure it dearly. The technical presentation is outstanding and the supplements thorough and entertaining. If you're on the fence about upgrading, my recommendation would be to do so. Point blank, this is a fine special edition.

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Wow not alot of DVD news going on recently eh? I guess all the big movies have been annouced so there's not much to say I guess. I loved checking this site in the morning and seeing all these news! Makes my day

Mr. Pelicula wrote: Dustin wrote: If all the "idiots" running around to save their lives had to do was play the game, then what did the two chaps in the first Saw have to do? Play the game and whistle dixie? All any of his pupils have to do is play the game.

What about the moron who first notices that everyone has numbers written on their backs, then instead of just telling everyone and figuring out the puzzle decides to kill everyone? It's moments like these that trancend the usual "panicky situation leads to death" moments in "horror" movies into completely stupid moments found in the worst movies.

That's exactly my point! You've got a house full of 9 or so people and for the length of the movie, all they do is try to break out, when they all know there's no way out. So, instead of the one Joe saying, "Hey, we've all got numbers on our necks," they just wander around and kick the s**t out of each other to just kill time. That's what I mean by "playing the game."

The 1st one was more plausable and a more difficult situation to get out of because the 2 characters where chained up, across from each other. In this one, the characters are free to go wherever they can in the house and have PLENTY of opportunities to save themselves, but don't.

So, like I said, I used to hate the first one until I saw the second one. Now, I only mildly dislike it. Because at least the 1st one tried to be original (even though there were plenty of holes in that one too). The second one just seemed like nobody cared. And I like a twist just as much as the next guy, but the twist in the 2nd one was just down-right stupid and lame.

Dustin wrote: If all the "idiots" running around to save their lives had to do was play the game, then what did the two chaps in the first Saw have to do? Play the game and whistle dixie? All any of his pupils have to do is play the game.

What about the moron who first notices that everyone has numbers written on their backs, then instead of just telling everyone and figuring out the puzzle decides to kill everyone? It's moments like these that trancend the usual "panicky situation leads to death" moments in "horror" movies into completely stupid moments found in the worst movies.

If all the "idiots" running around to save their lives had to do was play the game, then what did the two chaps in the first Saw have to do? Play the game and whistle dixie? All any of his pupils have to do is play the game.

I used to think the 1st one was terrible..... after seeing the second one, I now like the 1st a whole lot better. Saw 2 was nothing more than a bunch of idiot people running around to save themselves when all they had to do was "play the game." And what the hell was up with the ending?!? "You're my new test subject! Game Over!" Please.... sounds like something out of 80's B-horror.

Nice review, but I am surprised that you didn't mention that the audio is actually DD 5.1 EX and DTS 6.1 ES. I am particularly interested in the DTS track. Can anyone comment on the quality of the DTS 6.1 track?

I loved Saw II but I didn't double dip with this one yet. I guess I will now.

I love the Saw franchise and I really enjoyed Saw III this weekend! Even though the ending was a little off I still really like it! And i'll probably keep on going to see them until they stop making them.

Dustin wrote: Apparently I'm one of the six people on the planet who liked this film, so you probably shouldn't give my opinion too much weight. If you didn't like the first, there's a chance you might still like this... difficult to say, really.

That's ridiculous to say. I'd say most of the people who don't pass along their positive comments have already read the comments and saw the uphill battle that some of us are fighting towards being accepted as credible members. Your review was great and I definitely think there should be more horror reviews.

when the studio green lit a sequel Leigh Whannel and James Wan were not on board. I remember reading that they said "they are going to do it with out without us" so they got back on board and because of them saw 2 was good. the ending of saw 3 in my eyes was a wrap up. I don't no why people see it as ZOMG ANOTHER SAW. after all how do you make a sequel about a guy trapped in a room with limited air supply with no way out and a bunch of dead people around him. you should thank Leigh Whannel and James Wan because without out them who knowns how bad saw 2 and 3 could have been.

Apparently I'm one of the six people on the planet who liked this film, so you probably shouldn't give my opinion too much weight. If you didn't like the first, there's a chance you might still like this... difficult to say, really.

i really disliked "Saw" and "Saw II". I thought they had fantastic ideas and really celever plot twists but the acting and directing were soooo poor that I couldnt help overlook them. If these films were given to a more capable director and cast actual actors (screaming at the sight of fake blood is not acting) these would have worked much better. I have yet to see "Saw III", I do plan to just to see it, so hopefully it might be a tad better. These are great 2-Disc Special Editions for the many fans and I'm glad they are available, but this new breed of uber-gore horror films are just not for me. Give me a good creepy ghost story and I'm set.

One can argue that the Saw films don't need to exist, but this is countered by the fact that they do (and will continue to) exist. Therefore, isn't it a good thing that all of the Saw films will likely be consistently four or five notches above the thought that goes into a Friday the 13th film or, say, Stay Alive? It's not like the Saw films siphon off the budget for Roman Polanski's next film and some people (like myself) find them reasonably entertaining. I think criticism of any film franchise that consistently tries to be one step ahead of its audience -- however low the bar may be -- is ridiculous. The people making the Saw franchise love the fans and do actually make an effort to deliver a film that will surprise them.

For every problem the first one had (acting, low-budget), the second one has a different one (premise, direction). I thought it was pretty good and I just get a big kick out of seeing things from other films (I love sequels, even awful ones), and so Saw II was going to be fun for me pretty much no matter what. The first beat of the ending made me laugh out loud -- I knew it was coming but it was still cool to see everything again. As for the last beat of the ending, voice distortion should have been used at the end of the movie, or John should have been speaking instead. Can't wait to see Saw III this week...

I already own the theatrical cuts of Saw and Saw II, and am eagerly awaiting the release of Saw III. I don't normally like these types of films, but this series stands out in that I love the twists and the overall message from Jigsaw.

I learned that there wasn't much of anything added to the movies in both these editions, and despite the awesome case and art for the first, I never even thought twice about double-dipping. I'm fine with my single disc transparent cover arts of the theatrical editons. I think it's dumb that they didn't have a similar format that matched the case and art for Saw Uncut, though.

Saw III was amazingly disgusting, and I loved it up until the end. What sucks the most is that yes, it is true that Lionsgate is moving forward to film a fourth Saw and have it out next Halloween, but what the worst thing about it is is the fact that Leigh Whannel and James Wan, the creators and writers of this trilogy, have already stated that they are done. The ending to Saw III is now left open to another group of filmmakers. I'm not happy. At all. I know I will have to wait and see what is thought up for Saw IV, but I will remain skeptical because the two creators are done with the franchise. If it were up to me (which, I am well aware, it is not) I would re-do the last five minutes of Saw III and end it right there and leave it be. But, anything to sell a ticket, right?

I do hope they keep the same format of the transparent case and art for Saw III, too...

Saw IV was officially announced after final figures of Saw III's opening weekend came in. What's the twist gonna be? Oh no, I guess Jigsaw won't die of a terminal illness afterall and they can make a Saw V. I hate this franchise with a passion, gore for gore's sake is cheap and unoriginal horror. The thing here is that the studio is not trying to be original since they know all they have to do is crank out another installment and they have a profit. Personally, to me, this is just Home Alone if a serial killer did it. I mean, the gun through the keyhole was done to Daniel Stern, come on, only it was a staple gun, lol. That's just my opinion.

The first one, despite having tons of flaws (the big one being Cary Ewles) was still at least slightly original in its screenplay and overall execution. Plus the ending was something that made the film stand on its own much more than typical horror/thrillers.

Saw II sucked ass. Aside from the overall stupidity of most of the characters and the fact that most of the traps in the movie had little to do with what the people in them did wrong in their lives (a big selling point of the first movie), the ending was completely rediculous and stupid, with whoever the f**king actress was saying "Game over" making a complete joke of the original's great ending. Stupid fun, yes. But some people don't realize that Saw II is nothing but a B-movie. Those people are idiots...

as I dont want to bee acused again of being intolerant by Gabe and others...i just say that in my opinion it was way worse film that oryginal Saw..way worse. I'd rate it 3/10....while the oryginla saw i'd rate 7,5/10

Ralph, yeah - you're right. My bad... if any of the editors wanna fix that - I'd appreciate it. Tony, been awful busy lately with school and just got a new apartment. I plan to start reviewing quite a bit now though, am working on two Godzilla reviews at the moment.

Tyler, I agree 100%. The uncut introduction of Jigsaw is lame compared to theatrical.

That was a great review and it's convinced me that these films are worth checking out, as I haven't seen any of them yet.

One minor point though: I've not seen the film, so I'm happy to be proven wrong, but isn't it Donnie Wahlberg and not Mark who stars in this? Just on the right-hand side under "cast" it's listed as Mark.

As usual, I can depend on Dustin for a stellar review of a DVD release. While I did enjoy this movie, I thought it was just fun. I didn't think it was better than the original at all, but that's an opinion. If I could label this movie I'd call it CubeSaw. Reminds me so much of Cube it's not even funny.

I actually disliked the addition of John eating near the beginning...I felt it ruined the possibly unintentional buildup from waiting to see him appear on screen. Good thing I have both DVDs...I think overall I prefer the theatrical cut, but the new commentaries make the DVD worthwhile, plus disc 2.